Files: reference or what?

11-02-2010, 04:10 PM

Hi all

I'm still in the process of reading THE book but I have a quick question.
I think I understand reference filing and the importance of it being close at hand - but is it the same as my general collection of files relating to years of correspondence on different issues. ie the to and fro of previous correspondence developing a contract, maybe 2 or 3 years ago? I can see that the contract itself maybe a reference item but where does the other stuff live??

I hope that isn't a stupid question - feel free to refer me to a page number.

is it the same as my general collection of files relating to years of correspondence on different issues.

Sounds like the same to me! And not a stupid question at all. Really.

The 3 types of materials (paper or digital) you'll likely have are:

1. Reference - No action. You just want or need to hold on to it. That would be the old contracts you just need to keep record of.
2. Project Support - Materials that support projects you are current working on. In your case that might be correspondence on a current contract you're working on.
3. Pending - Materials that support current Next Actions and Waiting Fors on your lists. Could even relate to current projects if you didn't store it in a place specifically for that project.

Does that help?

Kelly

Comment

To me it would be closed out project support material. Once a significant project is finished, like a contract, all the support material would be transferred into the group storage area (electronic/paper/both), and I would tend to keep only the end result (the contract) in my reference material.
Not only does this free up space for your own new work, it makes the work accessible to others (you might change jobs and someone else might be digging up the past information).

The exception would be if you are also providing ongoing support and there could be new current projects that need that info, so then you might still want it in your own system.

1. Reference - No action. You just want or need to hold on to it. That would be the old contracts you just need to keep record of.
2. Project Support - Materials that support projects you are current working on. In your case that might be correspondence on a current contract you're working on.
3. Pending - Materials that support current Next Actions and Waiting Fors on your lists. Could even relate to current projects if you didn't store it in a place specifically for that project.

Does that help?

Kelly

Kelly,
Could you tell me more about Pending? I have Reference and Active Project Folders. Not clear about the Pending folders/files? Thanks.

Comment

The answer was the one I was fearing - now I definitely have to purge my existing files as there is way too much stuff that is not currently relevant (and it's in the evil hanging files) . This could take way more than 2 days..

PS: I'm convinced David modelled all the "Before" examples on my work methods